1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an element with an improved strip structure for improving load capacity of a furniture hinge.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,612 to Ferrari et al. on Apr. 8, 1997 discloses a furniture hinge comprising a first cup-shaped element and a second arm-shaped element pivoted together to rotate reciprocally from an open position to a closed position. The arm-shaped element is made of sheet metal with one end bent to wined wound a hinge pin supported in the cup-shaped member. The bent end of the arm-shaped element also defines bearing surfaces for a double twist pressure spring which pushes the arm-shaped element and the cup-shaped element toward the closed position starting from a position close to the latter. A U-bolt forms the hinge pin and a pin supporting the spring.
Since the arm of the arm-shaped element bears the overall weight of the door and the arm must be configured to have a neck for cooperating two resting surfaces for the spring, the arm is punched to provide improved structural strength; yet it was found that the punching fails to provide required improved strength. In addition, it is complicated to form the resting surfaces on the arm. Furthermore, it is inconvenient to position and bend the resting surfaces during assembly.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved arm-shaped element for a furniture hinge, wherein the arm-shaped element includes a strip extended therefrom. Structural strength of the strip is improved by increasing the width thereof, and the strip includes an opening to simplify the structural. The strip is bent and thus mounted to a hollow central body of the hinge. The opening in the strip is associated with an end of each of two springs of the hinge, thereby allowing easy assembly of the hinge.
A hinge in accordance with the present invention comprises a first element and a second element pivoted together to reciprocally rotate from an open position to a closed position. The first element includes a hollow central body, a hinge pin and a fastening pin being transversely mounted in the hollow central body. The second element includes a strip extended therefrom. The strip includes an opening in a middle thereof. A distal portion of the strip is extended into the hollow central body and wound around the hinge pin so as to form a stop that is associated with the opening. A spring is mounted around the fastening pin. The spring includes a first end attached to a bottom of the hollow central body and a second end that is extended through the opening and attached to the stop of the strip, thereby providing control between the first element and the second element by elasticity of the spring.
When the second element is in the closed position, the second end of the spring is attached to the stop of the strip and thus cannot be rotated until the spring force of the spring is overcome by moving the second end of the spring across the stop. When the second element rotates, rotation of the second element is impeded by the spring.
Other objects, specific advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and preferable embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.